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Jevon Holland

Dolphins’ Jevon Holland Expected To Land Contract Near Top Of Safety Market

November 17th, 2024 at 10:42am CST by Rory Parks

Dolphins safety Jevon Holland may have priced himself out of Miami. As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes in a subscribers-only piece, Holland is considered a top-five safety in the league, and the contract-year defender will be in high demand should he hit free agency in March. Miami is currently projected to be near the bottom of the pack in terms of cap space in 2025, so it is unclear if the club will have the wherewithal to keep him off the market.

Holland, 24, was selected by the Dolphins in the second round of the 2021 draft, and he has been an impact defender from the jump. In keeping with the league’s perception of his performance, Pro Football Focus graded Holland as a top-five safety in 2021 and 2023, and the Oregon product’s value is further bolstered by his versatility; he is capable of lining up as a free safety, in the box, or even in the slot.

He also boasts strong playmaking ability, as evidenced by the 23 passes defensed, five interceptions, five sacks, and five forced fumbles he has compiled in his career. He is still looking for his first interception in 2024 – he has missed one game due to a broken hand and another due to a knee injury – but the track record of splash plays he has established is a strong one.

The Dolphins were said to be interested in talking extension with Holland this offseason, though those discussions never gained much traction. The team prioritized new deals for some of the most notable names on its roster, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receivers Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill, and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and Holland acknowledged back in May that his contract situation was not a top agenda item for the ‘Fins.

“I’m on the back burner,” Holland said at the time. “I don’t know much. I just work here. I just work here.”

Presumably, he will not be on the back burner for much longer. Although the safety market has stagnated at times in recent history, the lucrative deals that players like Antoine Winfield Jr.  and Xavier McKinney signed this offseason prove that there is still an appetite to pay top dollar for true difference makers in the back end of the secondary. Indeed, Fowler expects Holland’s next contract to check in between McKinney’s four-year, $68MM deal and Winfield’s four-year, $84MM accord.

That assumes that the Dolphins will not place the franchise tag on Holland. The tag number for safeties is projected to be over $19MM in 2025, and Fowler’s sources have suggested that, like former Miami defensive tackle Christian Wilkins this offseason, Holland may be allowed to test the free agent waters, where he might find a market too robust for the Dolphins’ liking.

Dolphins S Jevon Holland Expected To Miss Time

October 6th, 2024 at 8:58pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

As the Dolphins stopped their losing skid in games Tua Tagovailoa did not finish, another of their top players sustained an injury that is expected to sideline him for a bit.

Safety Jevon Holland suffered a broken bone in his hand in Sunday’s win over the Patriots, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. It is not yet known if IR will be in play here, but the Dolphins are readying to play without their top safety.

Holland’s left hand was in a cast following the game, with some discussion of surgery between he and his teammates, per Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald. An extended absence by the star safety would be a significant blow to a Miami defense that entered Week 4 allowing just 162.5 passing yards per game, the fifth-lowest in the NFL.

The Dolphins also played their Week 5 game without their other starting safety, Jordan Poyer, who missed his first game of the season due to a shin injury. Elijah Campbell is listed as Holland’s backup on the Dolphins’ depth chart, but he started just two games across his first four NFL seasons. Mike McDaniel could instead turn to veteran Marcus Maye, who signed with Miami in June. Maye has 77 starts across his eight year career, though he has played just 25% of the Dolphins’ defensive snaps this season.

Holland is also in the final year of his rookie contract, so his broken bone could impact his upcoming negotiations with the Dolphins. The two sides had yet to make progress on extension talks entering the season, and Holland’s injury may throw another wrench into this matter.

The former second-round pick was active for every game in his first two NFL seasons before a concussion sidelined him in Week 8 last year. A knee malady held him out from Weeks 12 to 15 in 2023 and recurred in Week 18 to keep him out of the Dolphins’ wild-card loss to the Chiefs. Holland will be looking to capitalize on the recent boom in safety salaries, so a smooth recovery will be important to ensure that Miami (or a free agency suitor) will be getting its money’s worth.

Dolphins-Jevon Holland Extension Talks Have Not Picked Up

September 12th, 2024 at 10:36am CST by Sam Robinson

Jevon Holland‘s contract year started off well. The fourth-year safety’s goal-line punch-out denied Travis Etienne a potential back-breaking touchdown, keying a Dolphins comeback win over the Jaguars.

The Dolphins lost their other two safety regulars from last season — Brandon Jones, DeShon Elliott — but Holland remains, and the team identified him as an extension candidate in the spring. In the months since, this process does not appear to have gained steam. As several clubs moved to extend key players before the start of last season — one notable Texas-based deal coming hours before kickoff — Holland remains on his rookie contract.

[Offseason In Review: Miami Dolphins]

Miami has not intensified its extension talks with Holland, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler offers. The former second-round pick cannot speak with other teams until March’s legal tampering period, but the Dolphins went through a busy offseason on the extension front. They paid offensive cornerstones Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle and came to a rework agreement with Tyreek Hill, a transaction that reminded of Chris Grier‘s Xavien Howard payday in 2022 in that both players had three years left on their existing deals. The Dolphins then re-upped Jalen Ramsey, who had already seen the team greenlight more guarantees upon acquiring him via trade.

Starting 43 games for the Dolphins since being chosen 36th overall in 2021, Holland has now forced four fumbles over the past 18 games. The Oregon alum is in his age-24 season, and while this year featured some twists and turns in the safety market, teams showed — via the Xavier McKinney Packers signing and Antoine Winfield Jr. Buccaneers extension — they are still willing to pay top-market rates for difference-makers. Holland has displayed that talent.

Pro Football Focus rated Holland as a top-five safety in 2021 and again last year. The Dolphins have again changed their defensive scheme, making a coordinator change (from Vic Fangio to Anthony Weaver) for a third straight year. Perhaps the team wants to gauge Holland’s fit in Weaver’s system before accelerating talks, but the closer the Dolphins come to free agency, the more difficult it stands to be to retain the young defender.

Following an offseason that featured a cap situation that effectively prevented a Christian Wilkins franchise tag and led to he and Robert Hunt leaving in free agency, Miami is not expected to carry much in the way of 2025 funds. While it is still early here, the Dolphins sit with the NFL’s third-worst 2025 projection (per OverTheCap). That would make a franchise or transition tag more difficult, and while teams have a way of navigating troubled waters (see: New Orleans) to pay the players they want, Wilkins’ defection — after extensive Dolphins efforts to retain him — shows cap trouble brings consequences.

Two safeties — Winfield and Kyle Dugger — were tagged this offseason, with the Patriots transition-tagging the latter. Both signed lucrative extensions. This path could be a viable Dolphins path with Holland, but the team still has some time to avoid a lofty cap hold hitting its payroll via a March tag.

Dolphins, S Jevon Holland Have Not Discussed Extension

May 23rd, 2024 at 11:13am CST by Adam La Rose

Tua Tagovailoa is in line for an extension, but a number of other Dolphins are also eligible for deals keeping them in the fold beyond 2024. That group includes safety Jevon Holland, who has one year remaining on his rookie pact.

An April report indicated Miami was interested in a Holland extension, and general manager Chris Grier confirmed that is the case. Both Tagovailoa and receiver Jaylen Waddle (who is set to play on his fifth-year option in 2025) represent more notable financial priorities, however. That has left Holland waiting for negotiations to begin in his case.

“I’m on the back burner,” the latter said when speaking about the lack of contract talks (via Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald). “I don’t know much. “I just work here. I just work here.”

Holland, 24, has started all but three of his 46 combined regular and postseason appearances for the Dolphins. The former second-rounder had a strong season in 2022, racking up 96 tackles and a pair of interceptions. He was limited to 12 games last year, however, due to a pair of MCL sprains. In 2023, Holland totaled 74 stops, three forced fumbles and a 99-yard pick-six.

The Oregon product also showed improvement in coverage, allowing a passer rating of 99.3 and a pair of touchdowns as the nearest defender. Still, his level of play after returning to the field likely hindered his asking price on a new contract. The overall landscape of the safety position is also a factor working against him with respect to commanding a lucrative extension.

The 2024 offseason has seen a number of high-profile safeties let go, and a number of them remain unsigned well after the draft. While Antoine Winfield Jr. represents a notable exception, the position as a whole has been undervalued recently. That will most acutely affect veterans seeking third or fourth contracts, but it will no doubt be a factor in Holland’s attempts to secure a raise on his second deal.

The Dolphins lost Brandon Jones and DeShon Elliott in free agency, while the team retained Elijah Campbell and added Jordan Poyer. The latter (who came over from the Bills on a one-year, $2MM deal) is set to handle a starting role in 2024. The same will be true of Holland, and his play will particularly be worth watching in the event no new deal gets worked out over the remainder of the offseason.

Dolphins Eyeing Extensions With WR Jaylen Waddle, S Jevon Holland

April 16th, 2024 at 11:55am CST by Adam La Rose

An extension for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa represents a major offseason priority for the Dolphins, but a pair of players drafted one year later are also eligible for new deals. Miami is interested in working out an agreement in both cases.

The Dolphins are expected to pursue an extension with wideout Jaylen Waddle and safety Jevon Holland, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. Both players have been with the team for three years, and as such they can sign second contracts at any time. The former could be retained through 2025 via the fifth-year option, but as a former second-rounder that is not the case for the latter.

To no surprise, Jackson adds Miami will pick up Waddle’s option in the absence of an extension. That would tie him to a fully guaranteed $15.59MM salary in 2025, a figure well short of the value near the top of the receiver market. A long-term Waddle agreement will be pricey, especially given the direction his position is headed in.

The 25-year-old – who was included in Colts trade requests involving a potential Jonathan Taylor swap – has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his three seasons in the league, leading the NFL in yards per reception in 2022 (18.1). That production, which includes 18 touchdowns, puts Waddle slightly ahead of classmate DeVonta Smith early in their respective careers. The latter inked a three-year, $75MM extension (in addition to his fifth-year option) on Monday, placing him in a tie for fourth in the league in terms of annual compensation for receivers.

The fact Smith was able to land such a lucrative pact despite not serving as his team’s clear-cut No. 1 receiver is of course relevant in Waddle’s case. Much like how Smith plays alongside A.J. Brown, Waddle competes for targets with Tyreek Hill in Miami’s passing attack. Hill is on the books for three more years, but he only has guaranteed salary remaining on his $30MM-per-year accord for 2024. Alterations to that contract could be coming down the road, especially if a pricey Waddle commitment ends up being made.

Holland has been a mainstay in Miami’s secondary upon arrival in the NFL, starting 42 of 45 games. The 24-year-old Canadian has recorded five interceptions – including a 99-yard touchdown return this past season – and 21 pass deflections to date. Holland has added 239 tackles and four sacks, and he enjoyed a career-best season in coverage in 2023 with respect to opposing passer rating (99.3).

The Dolphins have one major financial commitment in the secondary at the moment (Jalen Ramsey), and the team has added veterans Kendall Fuller and Jordan Poyer on short-term deals in free agency. Holland is positioned to be a key figure for the present and the long-term future, though, and a multi-year agreement would allow Miami to retain an integral producer at the safety spot for years to come.

One of the storylines of the 2023 offseason has been the downward trend in terms of market value at the position, with a number of high-profile veterans being released ahead of free agency. Holland’s age and production could make him a worthwhile investment and an outlier, especially if he could be extended at a low enough rate. With a lucrative Tagovailoa agreement looming, it will be interesting to see if the Dolphins manage to hammer out an extension with at least one of Waddle or Holland this offseason.

Coaching Notes: Vrabel, Fangio, Dolphins, Eagles, Marrone, Saints, Titans, Bills

February 6th, 2024 at 4:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Seeing as Mike Vrabel went from highly regarded HC to trade candidate to bumped off this year’s carousel entirely, potential reasoning behind the ex-Titans boss’ standing is certainly relevant. Vrabel’s old-school, intimidating style may have been a factor in him not landing a job, with a GM going so far as to mention to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini this even could even extend to his physical stature. The former NFL linebacker also may have found himself pigeonholed as a slightly older candidate, even at 48, than some owners wanted, Russini offered during an appearance on The Athletic Football Show. Only Jim Harbaugh (60) and Dan Quinn (53) was older among this year’s eight HC hires. Vrabel interviewed for the Falcons, Panthers and Chargers’ jobs.

Some teams were interested in hiring Vrabel as a defensive coordinator, Russini adds, but the six-year NFL HC has not been connected to any specific coordinator jobs. With not many DC positions left, Vrabel seems likely to join Bill Belichick as coaches on the outside looking in this year. Vrabel may stand to have a better chance of landing another HC job moving forward, with Belichick set to turn 72 in April. For now, however, he is out of the league. The reports about Vrabel clashing with Titans ownership may have impacted his chances as well.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • On the subject of coaching clashes, Vic Fangio‘s style did not appear to draw universal praise while with the Dolphins. Jalen Ramsey, Jevon Holland and rookie Cam Smith expressed issues with the veteran DC, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Beasley notes. While praising Fangio’s old-school demands, Tyreek Hill also relayed a rumor about others indicating behind closed doors the team’s 2023 DC wanted to return to Philadelphia. Previously mentioned as rubbing some in Miami the wrong way, Fangio is indeed back with the Eagles. The Dolphins have hired ex-Ravens D-line coach Anthony Weaver to replace him.
  • Preparing to hire Klint Kubiak as offensive coordinator, the Saints will not extend Doug Marrone‘s second stint with the team into the 2024 season. In place as the Saints’ offensive line coach from 2022-23, Marrone will not be asked back, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football tweets. The Saints have veteran O-line coach John Benton as a frontrunner to fill the spot, NOLA.com’s Luke Johnson adds. Benton, 60, would be a logical hire. He worked as Gary Kubiak‘s O-line coach for eight years in Houston and was the 49ers’ O-line coach under Kyle Shanahan from 2017-20. After following Robert Saleh to New York in 2021, Benton spent this past season out of football.
  • Former Falcons assistants Steve Jackson and Frank Bush will be part of new Titans DC Dennard Wilson‘s staff, ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport tweets. A former Texans DC and interim Jets DC, Bush was on Arthur Smith‘s Falcons staff as linebackers coach for three years. This will be a return trip for Jackson, who has a history as a player and a coach with the franchise. A former Oilers cornerback, Jackson finished his career in Super Bowl XXXIV with the Titans. He later served as assistant DBs coach under Mike Mularkey in Tennessee from 2016-17. Jackson spent the past two seasons with the Falcons.
  • The Bills are moving senior defensive assistant Al Holcomb to a position coach role. The former Panthers DC will replace Bobby Babich as Buffalo’s linebackers coach, ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg notes. Babich is now Buffalo’s DC. Holcomb, who worked with Sean McDermott in Carolina, joined the Bills last year. The AFC East champs are also promoting Marcus West from assistant defensive line coach to D-line coach to replace Eric Washington, who became the Bears’ DC last month.

NFL Injury Rumors: Holland, Dillon, Pacheco, Miller, Elam

December 15th, 2023 at 10:11pm CST by Ely Allen

Injuries aren’t anything to keep Dolphins safety Jevon Holland down for long. The third-year starter has missed three games this season (the most he’s missed in his short carer) while dealing with reported knee injuries. According to an interview Holland did with Adam Beasley of Pro Football Network, the Dolphins defender has been dealing with two MCL sprains.

A single MCL sprain is enough to force many players to sit out multiple games, as those knee ligament injuries are not meant to be dealt with lightly. Regardless, Holland wants to be through with missing time, telling Beasley that “he’s optimistic about playing this week.” With the team’s other starting safety DeShon Elliott out this week after suffering a concussion in Miami’s surprising loss to the Titans on Monday, the defense would be glad to return Holland to the field.

Here are a few other injury rumors from around the NFL:

  • Packers running back A.J. Dillon has already been asked to step into a starting role with Aaron Jones out for the past three weeks. Green Bay may be down another rusher as Dillon reportedly suffered a broken thumb in the team’s loss to the Giants on Monday night, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. Like Holland, Dillon isn’t one to miss time with an injury. The only games he’s missed in his career were due to COVID-19 during his rookie year. That being said, he’s never played with a broken thumb. He’s listed as questionable heading into the weekend, but Dillon is trying to figure out if he can play through the injury. The biggest issue comes with the fact that opposing teams will know of the injury and attempts to punch out fumbles could lead to further harm.
  • Isiah Pacheco has only missed one game since taking over as the Chiefs‘ starting running back in Week 2, sitting out for last week’s loss to the Bills. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, head coach Andy Reid reported that Pacheco underwent “a clean up procedure on his shoulder” that will force him to miss this weekend’s matchup with the Patriots, as well. Reid expects that Pacheco should be able to return after that.
  • Yet another running back, Saints rookie rusher Kendre Miller has missed the team’s past four games with an ankle injury and is scheduled to miss a fifth straight game this weekend. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill believes that we haven’t seen the last of Miller this season. While the TCU-product may not be back immediately after this week’s game, Underhill thinks a Week 17 appearance in Tampa Bay could be in the cards for the 21-year-old.
  • Lastly, it’s safe to say that we haven’t seen the best from Bills second-year cornerback Kaiir Elam in his sophomore season. 2023 has been an injury-riddled year for the Florida-product as he’s only made an appearance in three games this year, the most recent of which only saw him on special teams. According to Ryan O’Halloran of The Buffalo News, Elam reportedly tore an ankle ligament prior to the start of the regular season. While he did sit out the team’s first four contests, Elam’s Week 5 return apparently saw him attempting to play through the injury without it being healed due to injuries to Tre’Davious White and Christian Benford in the team’s Week 4 win over the Dolphins. The injury would eventually push him onto injured reserve at the start of November. He’s since been designated to return from IR. If he isn’t able to return by shortly after Christmas, Elam will remain on IR for the rest of the year.

NFL COVID List Updates: 12/23/21

December 23rd, 2021 at 6:46pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve compiled a list of players who were placed or activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list today. In some instances, players activated from the list remain on IR:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Football Team

NFL COVID List Updates

December 18th, 2021 at 7:37pm CST by Zachary Links

We are trying our best here at Pro Football Rumors to keep up with all of the updates throughout the league concerning players on the reserve/COVID-19 list. A lot of teams had high hopes during today’s testing as they were trying to get players activated in time for Sunday’s slate of games.

Here are updates as of 8:30 PM ET, Sat 12/18:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Eddie Goldman
  • OC Bill Lazor, DC Sean Desai, STC Chris Tabor in COVID-19 protocols

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB P.J. Locke

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Four Coaches in COVID-19 protocols

New York Giants

New York Jets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Football Team

Dolphins Sign Second-Round S Jevon Holland

July 23rd, 2021 at 6:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

The first of the Dolphins’ two second-round picks is now under contract. The Dolphins and safety Jevon Holland agreed to terms on the customary four-year rookie deal Friday.

Miami selected Holland 36th overall out of Oregon, doing so just after Denver traded up to No. 35 to take running back Javonte Williams. The Dolphins did extensive work on Williams, but after the Broncos’ move, the team’s focus shifted. Holland will be ticketed to play a key role in Miami’s secondary as a rookie.

The Dolphins cut longtime starter Bobby McCain this offseason, clearing a path for Holland to move into the starting lineup as a rookie. Miami has converted cornerback Eric Rowe in position as a safety starter. Rowe has been a full-time safety first-stringer in each of Brian Flores‘ two seasons.

Holland opted out last year, joining Oregon first-round talent Penei Sewell in doing so, but the 6-foot, 207-pound defender packed plenty into his two-year Ducks sample. Holland intercepted nine passes in his two years with the Ducks. He added 4.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore in 2019.

Both of Miami’s other Day 2 picks — second-round tackle Liam Eichenberg and third-round tight end Hunter Long — remain unsigned. The Dolphins and first-rounders Jaelan Phillips and Jaylen Waddle have agreed to terms.

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